EU energy policies and projects A perspective on an inclusive energy transition

Anna Mengolini

Joint Research Centre of the European Commission

PowerWeb Conference

Delft, 4th June 2019

Outline

• The social dimensions of EU energy policies

• Socio-energy systems: a framework for an inclusive energy transition

• Energy poverty and vulnerable consumers in EU R&I projects

• Concluding remarks

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

The social dimensions of EU energy policies

Third

Energy

Package

Vulnerable

consumer

WG

Citizen's

Energy

Forum

EU

working

definition

of poverty

An energy

policy for

consumers

SWD

European

Pillar of

Social

Rights

EU Charter of

Fundamental

rights

Social

dimension

of Europe

New Deal Energy

Consumer

EU Energy

Union package

Clean Energy

for All

Europeans

European

Energy

Poverty

Observatory

Clean Energy

for All

Europeans

enforcement

The social dimensions of EU energy policies

Energy poor and energy

vulnerable protection

Citizen energy communities Energy consumers' rights

Green community by dDara from the Noun Project rights by Berkah Icon from the Noun Project protection by Vectorstall from the Noun Project

The social dimensions of EU energy policies

…. a vision of an Energy Union with citizens at its core, where citizens take

ownership of the energy transition, benefit from new technologies to reduce

their bills and participate actively in the market, and where vulnerable consumers

are protected.

….Member States should ensure the necessary supply for vulnerable and energy

poor customers. In doing so, an integrated approach …. could be used..

…..community energy initiatives demonstrate their potential to facilitate the

uptake of new technologies and consumption patterns, including smart distribution

grids and demand response, in an integrated manner. ….Community energy can

also…..help fight energy poverty through reduced consumption and lower supply

tariffs Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules for the internal market in electricity (recast)

Socio-energy systems

A framework for an inclusive energy transition

Social processes: choices, behaviours

Social changes: values, relationships

Social outcomes : (un)equal distribution?

Infrastructure: hidden but structuring social arrangements?

Knowledge: who knows? Whose knowledge counts?

Energy justice: how to implement a just energy transition?

The Social Dimensions of Energy Transitions, Science and Culture, C. Miller et al., 2013

Socio-energy systems design: A policy framework for energy transitions, Energy Research & Social Science, C. Miller et al., 2015

Prosumer behaviour in emerging electricity

systems, A. Mengolini 2017 Politecnico di Torino.

JRC mapping EU smart grid R&I projects

• 950 smart grid projects

• ~5 billion EUR investment

• UK, Germany and France lead

Reports & datasets online:

ses.jrc.ec.europa.eu/

smart-grids-observatory

Energy poverty and vulnerable consumers in R&I projects

• It is estimated that more than 50 million people in

Europe were experiencing energy poverty in 2018

• Energy poverty: "a situation where households are

unable to adequately meet their energy needs at an

affordable cost".

• The concept of energy poverty is intertwined with but

distinct from that of vulnerable consumers.

• There is no common definition of energy poverty at

EU level despite calls from the research communities

to do so. Source: Strengthening the EU response to energy poverty, Nature

Energy, vol 4, January 2019

• JRC Science for Policy report – Energy poverty through

the lens of EU Research & Innovation projects

• Analysis of EU R&I projects with focus on energy poverty

and vulnerable households

• Projects categories: digital technologies, behavioural

change, financing, sharing of best practices

• Target groups: consumers in social housing,

consumers receiving social welfare, consumers facing

energy affordability issues.

Energy poverty and vulnerable consumers in R&I projects

Energy poverty and vulnerable consumers in R&I projects

Source: Energy poverty through the lens of EU Research & Innovation

projects, JRC Science for Policy Report, EUR 29785, 2019

Energy poverty and vulnerable consumers in R&I projects

• Many projects pursue multiple objectives

• More focus on needs of vulnerable consumers and

wider societal aspects of energy poverty

• Quantitative results difficult to compare

• New indicators to measure the success of R&I

initiatives

Concluding remarks

• EU energy policies promote an inclusive energy transition

• Integrated approach: socio-energy system approach?

• Project success indicators: what should be measured?

• Social consequences of energy projects: how to measure them?

Thanks anna.mengolini@ec.europa.eu